Law Student Division Assembly Information
About the Law Student Division Assembly
The ABA Law Student Division Assembly is the voice of law students in the ABA. It is an opportunity for ABA Representatives, SBA Presidents, and Division Entity Liaisons to represent their law school by voting on resolutions that will help form the Division’s voice within the ABA for the coming year. ABA Representatives and SBA Presidents will receive training about their roles as representatives, mingle with fellow leaders at other law schools, and vote for national representatives. Events being on Thursday morning and culminate with the Assembly on Saturday afternoon.
The Law Student Division Assembly is comprised of:
- Each ABA-accredited school’s ABA Representative.
- Each ABA-accredited school’s Student Bar Association President.
- Law Student Division Entity Liaisons.
- Up to three representatives appointed by affiliate student legal associations.
2020 Annual Meeting Assembly Requirements
One of your most important responsibilities at Annual Meeting will be voting in the LSD Assembly. All voting members of the Assembly are required to complete the following steps to be eligible to vote:
- Register for Annual Meeting.
- ABA Representatives and SBA Presidents, please check that you are properly identified in our records. If you are not listed report now via the Reporting Form.
- Register for the Assembly. You MUST be a current ABA Rep, SBA President, or Liaison to register.
- View the Robert’s Rules webinar. This is a guide to the parliamentary rules that govern the Assembly.
- Read all of the Resolutions that will be up for a vote at Assembly and prepare for debate.
- If you wish to speak for or against, or make a motion, fill out the Proponent/Opponent Speaker and Motions Sign-up Sheet.
Important Documents
You can download all the documents you may need here:
- Resolutions Agenda (Please read all resolutions prior to Assembly)
- Pro/Con Speaker and Motions Sign up Sheet.
- Voting and Credentials Procedures 2020
- Updated Assembly Rules (Virtual, for 2020)
- Assembly Standing Rules (In-person, for 2019)
- Roberts Rules of Order Motion Chart
- Robert’s Rules of Order – Slide Show
- Assembly Caucuses
- Current Law Student Division Bylaws
What to Wear
Even in the virtual environment, we recommend business professional attire (courtroom attire) for all Law Student Division Annual Events. No jeans, t-shirts, beach sandals or other casual wear.
Assembly Voting Power
Members of the Assembly decide important ABA Law Student Division legislation, and national student leadership elections. Assembly members vote on:
- Matters before the Assembly, in-person during the ABA Annual Meeting in August.
- Elected positions for the Law Student Division Council in March and then August.
- Resolutions submitted at the discretion of the Council for an electronic vote throughout the year.
You do not need to be present at ABA Annual Meeting in order to vote in elections for Law Student Council positions.
If you can’t attend Annual Meeting, a proxy can cast your vote at Annual Assembly on resolutions. Please note that proxies only apply to the in-person Assembly; proxies are not allowed in the virtual Assembly. To be eligible to be a proxy, the student must:
- Be an ABA member.
- Attend your law school.
- Be attending Annual Meeting.
- Exception: Liaisons cannot proxy their vote.
ABA Reps and SBA Presidents must use this form to certify their proxy.
Resolution E-Voting Procedure
In addition to considering resolutions once a year at an in-person Assembly meeting at Annual Meeting in August, The Law Student Division Council may put forward resolutions for an electronic vote of the Assembly at any time during the year through its Remote Meeting and Electronic Voting Policy [PDF].
Any Division member can submit a resolution to the Council for consideration. Please contact a Council member for more information.